Rune-imations, wait... that doesn’t sound right... - 5: Nauðir

Nauðir ᚾ, pronounced "No-thee-r". Other variations include Nauthir, Nauthiz, Naudr, Nauth.

Meaning: Necessity/Need

Element: Fire, Earth. Gender: Male

Tree Association: Rowan (Mountain Ash)

Relates to constraint, need, resistance leading to strength, self initiated change, primal drive, survival, inevitability, suffering, hardship, baptism by fire, distress to success, love and hate, frugality and pragmatism.

Free-flow word associations:

Need, food, shelter, warmth, survival, hardship, struggle, challenge, test, trial, judgement, right and wrong, morality, black and white, shades of grey, realism, nature, nurture, parents, discipline, balance, compromise, rationality, prudence, caution, planning ahead, resourcefulness, conservation, saving for a rainy day, frugality, hoarding, possession, obsession, desire, frivolity, priorities, sacrifice, letting go, moving forward, change, seasons, winter, cold, death, repose, absence, potential, life, fire, hope, promise, growth, strength, renewal, evolution.

The rune of necessity can refer to having been through tough times, or warn us of tough times ahead. Tough times test our metal and can either destroy us or make us stronger than before; like a baptism by fire, we are forced to purge ourselves of weakness and do what is necessary to survive.This relates to the element of fire, burning away impurities, cauterising open wounds to help us heal, destroying that which no longer serves our best interests, burning away dead wood, using the broken pieces of the past as fuel to push forward through hard times, learning lessons from past hurt and trauma, and always knowing that no matter how bad life gets, we have endured worse.This involves a release from emotional attachment, moving on from relationships even though it might be painful in the short term, cutting ties with people who impede our personal growth and development and stand in the way of our happiness and success. It is about doing what is best for you and your long-term benefit, without worrying about other people's feelings. This is not meant to encourage needless callousness and disregard for others, but merely to remind us to be selective about what and who we devote our time and energy to. Walking away from people may be seen by them to be unnecessary and hostile, but sometimes it is necessary to be cruel to be kind, and it is a form of tough love for the sake of self love. this is easily confused with hate, but this is an illusion born from fear and self doubt. Just as our parents might love and nurtures us, so too do they scold and discipline us for our own benefit. It is a matter of learning harsh lessons, both for ourselves and for others, and it requires us to be able to balance the nurturing feminine power with the disciplinary masculine power to come to compromises where possible, without detriment to our own health, happiness and well being. This is an inevitability in life, and as such, Nauᚾ presents itself to us as a law of nature, one of the few Runes whose meanings and laws are fixed even when combined with other Runes which would otherwise alter its properties. Nature does not discriminate based upon moral constructs, and so ᚾ teaches us to remain objective, impartial and emotionally detached from certain situations, recognising that sometimes it is necessary to do bad things for good reasons, and that the moral framework that we live by is a construct of societal coexistence and therefore not applicable within the context of survival. This of course stands within a societal setting, in which day to day interactions may be subject to strict codes of morality, but in desperate times where one's livelihood or that of one's family is at risk, the moral boundaries become blurred. This understanding of Nauðir ᚾ teaches us to not judge ourselves or others too harshly, but neither should we fear anyone's judgement but our own, for we should judge ourselves objectively in accordance with natural law.

Nauðir ᚾ advises us to be realistic at all times and always be prepared for the worst. It teaches us to plan ahead, to always have a backup plan in place for when things go wrong. As Nauðir directly follows on from Hagalr ᚺ, referring generally to chaos or disruption, it advises us that nothing in life is certain, and even the best laid plans are subject to the whims of Wyrð. In this sense, ᚾ teaches both caution and discipline, warning us to take stock of the resources available to us, and also be willing to sacrifice some unnecessary luxuries and comforts in the interests of saving for a rainy day, for we will never knnow when we might fall upon hard times. ᚾ also precedes Isa 𐌹, which represents the depths of winter, and so symbolises the first blizzards which force us to seek warmth and shelter. This implies that when unrest arises, be it at work, with between friends or with family, it is always best to remove oneself from the situation and avoid becoming directly involved in the drama of others. This also tells us that when the outside world brings us unrest within, we should retreat to a place within ourselves where we feel safe and secure as means of diffusing stress and anxiety. ᚾ urges us to take charge of our lives rather than being victims of circumstance, for if a situation is preventing personal growth and happiness, it is up to the individual to change it for the better and embrace the power of self initiated change. It gives us a blessing to prioritise our own needs over the needs of others at this time, but advises collaboration wherever it is mutually beneficial.

ᚾ's correspondence with the Rowan Tree, or Mountain Ash, denotes stability, resilience and protection. In Druidic Tree Lore, the Rowan is known as the Goddess Tree, and is associated with Brigid, the goddess of love and protection. In this way, ᚾ is also associated with Thorr, the Protector of Midgarð and its working men, women and children. The symbolic message of protection and sanctuary makes ᚾ a useful Rune for protecting the homestead and other buildings that provide safety. The Rowan corresponds to the Celtic festival of Imbolc, which marks the midpoint between the Midwinter Solstice and the Vernal Equinox, and so ᚾ can be an indication that the worst of one's trials have passed and that one need only hold out a short time longer until Spring returns and things improve; ᚾ acts as a beacon of hope, the promise of renewal and therefore demands that we stay strong and hold the Shield Wall at all costs. The medicinal properties of Rowan berries also lend themselves to the power of ᚾ, having preservative capabilities and being used to make traditional tonics for their purging and diuretic qualities. Rowan is used in vibrational medicine to attune us to nature and to clear space within the internal realms to make way for deeper understanding of the self and the universe, which would then be echoed in the external world of matter. Rowans are indigenous to the mountainous regions of the Northern Hemisphere, particularly Europe, Scandinavia and Asia. Their unforgiving environment makes them, and ᚾ, symbolic of endurance, thriving each new spring after months of harsh winter cold, gale force winds, permafrost ad lack of sunlight, coming back stronger than all of the preceding years, and therefore symbolising rebirth and evolution.

Visually, ᚾ is a representation of two sticks being rubbed together to create fire. This is an allusion to the importance of resourcefulness, using the meagre materials available to get the job done. However, at the same time it is a call for patience and persistence, for the rubbing of the sticks can only generate heat; it is a matter of having the correct knowledge, adequately dry wood and additional materials for kindling to create the perfect conditions to start a fire in harsh weather. This reminds us that optimism alone is not enough to get us to where we need to be, and that we must work hard to achieve our goals. On the other hand, ᚾ is often seen as crossed fingers, representing luck and wish making, and ultimately the power of hope. The similarity in form to Isa 𐌹 indicates that the two Runes are related in their symbolic meanings; however, where Isa is a mere straight line representing stillness, ᚾ bridges and traverses this line with an intersecting stave indicating the overcoming of stagnation, the breaking of the stillness and therefore embodies action. ᚾ has no reversed meaning, and so both its negative and positive connotations can be seen as being interchangeable, even inseparable, as in life the bad often goes hand in hand with the good, and each are required in order to recognise and appreciate the other. ᚾ's form can also be likened to crossed swords or spears suggesting conflict or hostility, but also the resolution thereof. It urges us to continually strive for peace, but to always be prepared for war, and to fight for what is necessary, for our rights, for our values and beliefs, for our personal growth and happiness, and most importantly for our own survival and that of our family or tribe. Finally, ᚾ can be seen as a fence post, signifying an obstacle to be overcome, or as a signpost or way marker giving us clear direction. As a signpost, ᚾ can also give us a clear set of choices in direction, one path up, one path down, one road to a better future, another road to greater hardship. It reminds us to pause and deliberate long and hard about the options available to us before making a decision, weighing up the pros and cons of either choice and choosing wisely. Though life is very rarely black and white, are choices often are; however, esoterically speaking, ᚾ can represent the Middle Way or Middle Pillar, the point of balance upon which everything else rests, like a see-saw, moving to either extreme will shift the balance and cause the querent to fall, but the Middle Way ensures stability and safe passage. This final reminder is for us to remain objective and pragmatic and not be swayed by the opinions of others despite how forceful they may be.

My next entry will concern the Goddess Rune, Bjarkana. Until then, may the Gods watch over you. Enki Endymion. O(

Rune-imations, wait... that doesn’t sound right... - 4: Urur

After a VERY long time and much frustrated searching, I finally found the notebook that contained my contemplation of the Runes! As such, I now endeavor to pick up where I left off, and will continue in the same vein of writing about the Runes, not in "Alphabetical order" but rather focusing on a rune from each of the three Aetts in turn as demonstrated in my previous three entries.

ᚢ, Pronounced "Oo-Roo-r". Other variations are Auru, Uraur and Uruz.
Meaning: Aurochs (Wild Bison/Cow, now extinct)
Element: Earth, Water. Gender: Male
Tree Association: Birch
Relates to strength, transformation and shapeshifting, tenacity, health, endurance, formation, patterns, manifestation, life force, courage, organic structure, vigor, determination, persistence, will, territoriality, independence, archetypal patterns/forms, raw primal power, survival.

Free- flow word association:
Aurochs, cattle, wild, untamed, free, powerful, strong, steadfast, confident, assertive, controlled, ordered, discipline, patterns, habits, behaviour, instinct, violence, survival, safety in numbers, herd, herding/farming, trade, movement, migration, adaptability, controlled change, ordered chaos, seasons, cycles, life and death, rebirth, reincarnation, same but different, transformation, shape-shifting, Shaman, healer, seer, wanderer, one who knows, wisdom, Odinn, inner knowledge, reflection, water, well, Urd, Earth Mother, nurture, nature, abundance, creation, creativity, manifestation, majik, mind over matter, mage, priest, god, self.

Aurochs once roamed free in large numbers across the plains of Europe and Scandinavia many millennia ago, before their capture, domestication selective breeding and eventual extinction from hunting at the hands of man, and therefore are the wild, primal ancestors of the modern cow. If Fehu ᚠ represents domestic cattle, then it so stands that Urur ᚢ the wild and untamed spirit of the wild cow/ox/bison. The wild nature of Bison makes them extremely tough, and occasionally quite dangerous. Bison typically move in large herds, sticking together in a close-knit family unit for protection; this denotes the importance of family and friends to support us in hard times. Paradoxically, Bison are also extremely territorial, fighting one another for mating rights; this demonstrates the raw masculine sexual energy of ᚢ. Their brute strength means that there are very few animals that can harm them, and even a lone bison can be a formidable enemy. This unbridled Earthly strength is a trait shared by the God, Thor, and demonstrates the power of the individual whilst highlighting the necessity to stand one's ground and defend the things we hold dear in the face of overwhelming odds, even if we stand alone.

The Aurochs' need to migrate is embodied in ᚢ, and relates to the ability to change and adapt when necessary, though not in one's personality or habits, but rather changing one's circumstances or environment when it is no longer conducive to personal growth or the benefit of the 'herd' as a whole. This teaches us that we may be living in a place or situation that is damaging to us or restricting us in some way, be it a toxic relationship, dead-end job, or just poor company, and that in order to grow, evolve and flourish as an individual we need to shed those people or situations from our lives and recognise those things that do not serve our greatest good before letting them go. But for all of the Aurochs' freedom and constant change, there remains an ordering pattern in the times at which they migrate, as well as where they roam, governed by the shifting of the seasons and the subsequent die back of plant species in certain areas and flourishing of new feeding and breeding grounds. This acts as a reminder to not make rash decisions which might leave us worse off; if a situation or relationship is becoming uncomfortable, then weigh up alternatives before making a change, so as to not leave a job you dislike without first having a backup, or leaving a toxic relationship and jumping straight into an even worse one. Look before you leap and time your decisions appropriately, for if the Aurochs begin to migrate too early or too late, or if they head in the wrong direction rather than following their food sources, it could spell catastrophe for the entire herd. These nuances in willful intuition and critical thinking lend themselves to another association with ᚢ; that of the fine art of Manifestation Majik. The Aurochs are driven by a raw primal instinct, which in humans presents itself as an intuitive creative urge or sexual desire that fuels the individual will, and at the same time they remain under the influence of an ordering pattern imposed upon them by external factors. This shows that the art of Manifestation is born and perfected via a complex combination of primal drive and desire for what we want, and a sharp mental acuity and strong psychological makeup to focus that energy into conscious action in conformity with a plan; this helps to create the ideal conditions for our desire to manifest in the material world. Furthermore, it demonstrates that no matter how adept we may be, we must always remember that we are driven by desires and powers that are beyond our understanding, and that we must always be conscious of that primal power and direct it in an orderly fashion in accordance with nature's laws. The Auroch, then, embodies the principle of Self Discipline which is ultimately necessary to direct one's creative powers in accordance with their individuated will.

The behaviour of the Auroch has a massive impact on its surrounding environment, the life cycles of plant life, the PH balance and nutritional density of the soil, the topography of the land which directs the flow of rainwater across the plains and so much more; they were an integral part of the ecosystem in their time, and were instrumental in maintaining a healthy balance within the environment; as such, this translates onto the human level also, for the Auroch was a primary source of food, clothing, crafting material and medicinal ingredients for many tribes, and so the Auroch becomes a symbol of good health and healing practices, as well as the maintenance of balance in the world as well as in the body. Furthermore, through this, ᚢ teaches us that we, too, are in integral part of the world in which we live, whether we notice it or not, and therefore guides us to be ever mindful of our thoughts, words and actions and the consequences thereof; in this sense, ᚢ positions us as co-creators of form and order within our waking reality. With this position of power, of course, comes equal responsibility, and so ᚢ urges us to keep account of our habits which affect the lives of others in unprecedented and often irrevocable ways, both positively and negatively. The act of migrating backwards and forwards, year after year, bears a significant symbolic tie to the ebb and flow of the tides, the ebb and flow of life life and death, the waxing and waning of the moon, and thus the interplay between the conscious and the unconscious, the cognitive and the intuitive. This indicates that we are also to be aware of the changes that occur within us as well as in the outside world as a result of our actions and inactions. With each new migration, the herd finds itself changed, with older generations dying off as new generations are born, and so the herd, whilst generally the same in nature, is subtly different. The teaching of this analogy is two-fold; first, it demonstrates that as individuals, we too are changed in subtle ways over the course of years until those subtle changes accumulate into our becoming a new version of ourselves. We may not be the same people we were ten years ago and therefore we must expect that occasionally we find that we have lost interest or passion for things we once enjoyed, and may also begin to appreciate that which we previously disregarded, which may force us to reevaluate our position in life as previously mentioned regarding the letting go of toxic people or situations. Secondly, it demonstrates that nothing in nature can remain the same, and that all things must undergo the transition of death which, far from being an ending of things, is passage from one state into another and essential for the continuation of creation. In the same sense, ᚢ can denote the continuous passage back and forth between the realms of the living and the dead whilst remaining unchanged, the path of the Shaman, and is thus a representation of the deathly aspect of Odinn, the "Necromancer" or "Mound Lord". This Shamanic, visionary connotation, when combined with the wave-like behaviour of the sea, reveals a self-reflective aspect relative to the alchemical element of water. This aids us by encouraging us to practice continual self-analysis to keep our emotions in check, observe the movements of the unconscious realms, and to remain ever thankful of the health and abundance of life that we are gifted by the Gods. Through these practices, we may seek to improve ourselves from within to become the best versions of ourselves and take our place in the world as divine beings.

ᚢ's association with the birch tree (particularly the silver birch) acts as a further link to the idea of death and rebirth, as the birch is the first of the deciduous trees to sprout  leaves in spring and is a herald of renewal. The birch often grows in tight-knit clusters or "Stands", which again relates to the close herd behaviour of the Aurochs, reinforcing the importance of family. At the same time, however, the birch is perhaps one of the hardiest of the deciduous trees, growing in all types of soil and in a wide variety of climates around the world, representing strength, endurance, adaptability and resourcfulness. While the birch is very flexible to withstand strone winds, it also has very deep roots meaning that even a single birch can remain standing when exposed to adverse weather, which epitomises ᚢ's symbolic meaning of individual strength and resilience; therefore the birch is the perfect representation of the equal importance of both strong connections and individual integrity and confidence. the notion of endurance and survival is further eluded to by the birch's common use as a reliable winter food source for indigenous peoples across Siberia, as well as possessing strong anti-bacterial qualities which again lend themselves to this rune's symbolic association with health and healing. ᚢ's significance to the Shamanic Journey is also supported by the birch as a correspondence, as it is said birch groves shelter the psychoactive 'Fly Agaric' mushroom, or 'Amanita Muscaria, which has been used by indigenous European and Scandinavian elders for millennia for inducing visionary states for the purposes of healing and spirit communication. Germanic folklore teaches that "where the birch is the guardian, the wanderer [Shaman] is protected from madness and faery tricks." Birch's white bark supports a lunar correspondence which is also embodied in the back-and-forth migratory habits of the Aurochs and, in this way, ᚢ links to the moon and thus the wandering waters of the sea and of consciousness. In consideration of all of the above-listed attributes, it can be deduced that ᚢ holds a dual elemental correspondence with Earth and Water.

Visually, ᚢ resembles the animal to which it is attributed, as the Auroch, much like modern day buffalo and wilderbeast, was characterised by a large hump atop the fore-shoulders, making the front end appear taller than the rump. This shape is a visual reminder for us to stand as strong and proud as the Auroch and never back down to adversity, moving inexorably forward towards our goals. The sloping line between the longer and shorter stems can also represent the sloping path into the lower world in Shamanic thought, or the Underworlds of Helheim, Nifleheim and Svartalfheim in old Norse Mythology; to the Shaman, the lower world is where the spirits of plants and animals reside, as well as the spirits of the ancestors, and in Norse Mythology, the ancestors reside in Helheim, whilst the other two realms of the underworld are inhabited by the ancient frost giants and the dark elves or dwarves respectively. Inverted, ᚢ resembles the horns of the male Auroch and can indicate that conflict may arise if we remain stubbornly entrenched in behaviours or beliefs that are not constructive,  or refuse to compromise in order to work with other members of the herd; it is the symbol of the primordial horned god and the male ego, and therefore embodies the cosmic energy of the divine masculine in both its creative and destructive aspects.

My next article will continue following the same pattern as outlined in my previous entries, and focus on the second rune of the second Aett, Nauðir. Until then, may the Gods bless you!

Enki Endymion. O(